Saktism, the concept of Sakti, the source of all energies of the Universe plays a vital role in the socio-religious tradition of India since the dawn of human civilization. Mahisasuramardini, the Divine Mother is one of the manifestations of Sakti. She is the most impressive and formidable goddess of the Hindu pantheon. The cult of Mahisasuramardini is of considerable antiquity. Its genesis can be traced from the Vedic literature. The Mahabharat and the Puran as have provided varied but vivid accounts of the origin of the goddess. The author besides emphasizing on the descriptions of the deity as per the Puranic texts, has also discussed the emergence and representation of the goddess who has occupied a prominent place in the sculptural history of India through the ages.
Here the author presents a rich and variegated picture of the Mahisasuramardini art of Orissa, highlighting the evolving iconography of individual images with special reference to the Silpa and Tantric Texts. He focuses on different forms and depictions of the goddess. In this work the generalization and characteristics have been drawn on the basis of iconographic, ritualistic and comparative studies. The book also incorporates the genesis of Sakti cult, historical development, ritualistic patterns along with the elements of art and aesthetic in Mahi?asuramardini images. The work abounds in photographs revealing the variety forms of the goddess and provides many maps, diagrams and iconographical charts, yantras, mudras etc which will create interest not only for the scholars of archeology, history and religion but also for the historians of art as well.
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